Changes In Tokyo International Film Fest Executive Ranks
Hideyuki Takai has resigned as president of the org responsible for promoting Japanese film abroad, Unijapan, which also organizes the Tokyo International Film Festival. Junichi Sakomoto, president of producer/distributor Shochiku, has taken over the role. Toho president Yoshishige Shimatani is also stepping in for Yusuke Okada as chairman of the 26th Tokyo International Film Festival executive committee. The festival further announced today that Yasushi Siina of Kadokawa Pictures has been appointed director general of the festival and its market, TIFFCOM.

‘Bindi’s Bootcamp’ Sees StarzAustralian original live action kids’ entertainment series Bindi’s Bootcamp is already airing in more than 15 territories across Asia on Discovery Kids and will debut in the U.S. on Starz Kids & Family on May 1. FremantleMedia said today that the show is also expected to begin airing later this year in Italy on Rai. Hosted by Bindi Irwin, the daughter of late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, the show brings children up close and personal with exotic animals of all types. Three teams comprised of two children each compete for the chance to participate in an Irwin Family conservation program. The series, produced by FremantleMedia Australia and Sticky Pictures, premiered in July 2012 on ABC3 in Oz. Bindi won a Daytime Emmy in 2008 for Bindi: The Jungle Girl and in 2010 starred in Free Willy: Escape From Pirate’s Cove. She recently starred in Hallmark Channel’s Return To Nim’s Island.